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RUSTON — If someone told Louisiana Tech that the Bulldogs would be facing an undefeated team at the top of the Conference USA standings in mid-October, chances are the first thought would be Western Kentucky.

The last thing anyone would have expected is for that team to be Florida International, especially after the Panthers started 0-4 and fired their coach.

Alas, here Louisiana Tech is, headed to Miami to take on FIU on Saturday in a battle for positioning in the C-USA race.

“They got a new life. They got a new energy,” Tech defensive coordinator Blake Baker said.

All of a sudden, FIU (3-4, 3-0) is winners of three straight games. The victories hardly move the needle — Florida Atlantic, UTEP and Charlotte, who sport a combined 4-16 record — but the Panthers’ improvements have the Bulldogs’ attention.

Tech coach Skip Holtz is usually one to compliment a team during his press conferences, regardless of record, but he admitted he can’t lie to his players. His players know a good team when they see one and can sniff out a bad one on film.

“These players watch film, read the internet and know who's in first place. They know what a big game is and a game we gotta go get it done,” Holtz said.

“This one makes it easy. You don't have to sit up and tell them to put the film on and watch them play. You don't have to sell this group. Their film is selling them. Our players will be ready to play, and they have a lot to do with that.”

Midseason coaching changes have a tendency to spark a team, and FIU is the latest success story. Ron Turner was out after four games following losses to Indiana, Maryland, Central Florida and UMass, the team Tech just clobbered, 56-28.

Holtz is familiar with interim coach Ron Cooper from their time together at Notre Dame and South Carolina. Holtz said sometimes things get stagnant or stale, and the change has given FIU an adrenaline shot.

Or as Baker and safety Xavier Woods put it, FIU found a new energy.

“They're riding a wave right now,” Woods said.

Tech, which is looking for its first conference road win of the year, is playing with a different edge, too. Tech running back Jaqwis Dancy was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and the Bulldogs played with heavy hearts against UMass and will continue to do so for the rest of the season.

Players will use that internal motivation and combine it with their own “juice” to create energy on the sideline.

The juice lies in one of the most explosive offenses in the country with Tech coming off a 690-yard effort at UMass.

FIU, meanwhile, ranks 35th nationally in pass defense and hasn’t allowed more than 278 yards in a game.

The Panthers have yet to see an attack like Tech’s, though, led by quarterback Ryan Higgins, who is second in the country with 392 passing yards per game. Wide receivers Carlos Henderson and Trent Taylor lead the FBS in receiving yards per game, and Henderson is coming off a record-setting performance where he had 326 receiving yards and five touchdowns against UMass.

Henderson’s emergence during the past two weeks — he has 20 catches and eight touchdowns — leads to the question of how defenses can defend an offense with so many weapons.

Offensive coordinator Todd Fitch said in some ways it’s easier on the staff since a defense has to honor Taylor, Henderson and running back Jarred Craft, whose 6.7 yard per carry average ranks tied for third in the FBS among running backs with at least 100 carries.

Tech will continue to head into games with an open mind on offense and react to how the defense schemes the No. 4 passing team in the country.

“It's tougher for them to just say, 'OK, we're taking Trent away' or 'We're going to load the box and take away a good running back,”' Fitch said. “They gotta honor everybody across the board, which makes it easier for the offense because you're not getting some of the junk defenses you see.”

This week, the focus once again turns to the defense following one of the Bulldogs’ best performances of the year against UMass.

FIU has the third-worst scoring offense in the league at 21 points per game, but the Panthers have put up at least 27 during the three-game winning streak.

The first two games of the streak featured rushing efforts of 250-plus yards. Last week’s win over Charlotte saw Alex McGough throw for 315 yards.

Baker said Tech’s pass defense is getting better, primarily because of the increased blitz efficiency and less breakdowns in the back end. Defensive end Jaylon Ferguson is coming off a 2 ½ sack game that spearheaded a seven-sack effort by the defense.

CLOSE

Louisiana Tech QB Higgins not surprised with the Bulldogs' offensive explosion of late with the No. 4-ranked passing offense

Louisiana Tech (4-3, 2-1) at Florida International (3-4, 3-0)

Kickoff: 6 p.m.

At: Ocean Bank Stadium

Radio: 107.5 FM

TV: ESPN3

Coaches: Skip Holtz, Louisiana Tech (114–91); Ron Cooper, FIU (48-55)

Louisiana Tech wins if: The Bulldogs take care of the ball. The offense is playing at such a high rate that Tech is the only one that can stop itself. Tech had four turnovers against UMass, which has been uncharacteristic of this team.

Louisiana Tech loses if: Special teams continues to give up easy field position. Punt and kick coverage has plagued Tech during the past couple weeks. This may be the week it finally nips the Bulldogs in the behind.